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UK Firm on Fostering Mutual Ties

The British ambassador in Tehran said his government is determined to develop its relationship with Iran based on the 2015 nuclear deal, which paved the way for the two sides to resume diplomatic ties after a four-year hiatus. Speaking in a recent interview with IRNA, Nicholas Hopton said Britain is fully committed to its obligations under the nuclear pact and will work hard to help make it a successful accord. The ambassador said bilateral economic cooperation has greatly improved since the British Embassy in Tehran was reopened in August 2015 and the UK government is bound to facilitate trade by trying to remove obstacles to closer banking relations. Expressing satisfaction at the May reelection of President Hassan Rouhani, a staunch backer of broadening Iran's international engagement, Hopton said keeping close contacts between the two administrations would help them gain deeper understanding of each other and gradually patch up differences. Hopton, who previously served as Britain's ambassador to Qatar and Yemen, took office as ambassador to Iran in September 2016.